Pulmonologist Education of the Teach-to-Goal Inhaler Technique for Those With Asthma and COPD.

Background: Inhaler education for patients with asthma and patients with COPD is typically provided by non-pulmonologists. We studied inhaler education by pulmonologists to determine changes in clinical outcomes and inhaler use.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 296 subjects diagnosed with asthma, COPD, or both that evaluated use of inhaler technique education and its impact on (1) inhaler/dosage change consisting of dosage change in the same class of inhaler and/or change in number of inhalers, (2) forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV/FVC%), (3) disease symptom control, (4) out-patient visits, (5) urgent care visits (6) emergency department visits, and (7) hospital admissions.

Navigating the Esophagus: Effective Strategies for Foreign Body Removal.

Foreign body ingestion is a common medical emergency that can affect individuals of all ages and can be caused by various factors, including accidental ingestion, psychiatric disorders, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse. The most common site for foreign body lodgment is the upper esophagus, followed by the middle esophagus, stomach, pharynx, lower esophagus, and duodenum. This article provides a case report of a 43-year-old male patient with a history of schizoaffective disorder and an indwelling suprapubic catheter who presented to the hospital due to foreign body ingestion.

A False-Positive HIV Test: Severe Lupus Flare in Disguise.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have significant overlapping clinical features, making diagnosis challenging. We report a case of new-onset SLE initially mistreated as HIV infection due to a false-positive fourth-generation HIV antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) test. A young female in her 30s presented with fatigue, oral thrush, and a positive HIV Ag/Ab combo test.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients' experience using Trelegy as compared with other inhalers.

Introduction: Trelegy is a combination inhaler that is often reported to offer benefits over multiple inhalers. We compared Trelegy use with multiple inhalers for adherence, symptoms, medication beliefs, and medication attitudes.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey of 58 patients compared the patient's experience with Trelegy ( = 18) versus any other inhaler ( = 40).

"Feeling the Blues": A Case of Calcium Channel Blocker Overdose Managed With Methylene Blue.

Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB) commonly used to treat hypertension. In the United States, approximately 9,500 cases of CCB intoxication due to deliberate or inadvertent overdose were reported to poison centers in 2002. We present a case of a patient who presented with CCB overdose complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and recalcitrant shock all of which resolved with methylene blue therapy.

CMV Pancreatitis in an Immunocompromised Patient.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus affecting a large majority of the world's population. In immunocompetent patients, CMV infection can range anywhere from an asymptomatic course to mononucleosis. However, in the immunocompromised patient, prognosis can be deadly as CMV can disseminate to the retina, liver, lungs, heart, and GI tract.

COVID-19 and Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: A case series.

COVID-19 is a relatively new and rapidly emerging disease. Given current knowledge of the disease process, it is of the utmost importance to gain further insight into its different clinical manifestations. In this report we describe three cases involving Hispanic males with COVID-19 all of whom developed pneumomediastinum during their hospital course.

Rapidly developing large pneumatocele and spontaneous pneumothorax in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to more than 70 countries around the world since its discovery in 2019. More than 2.5 million cases and more than 130,000 deaths have been reported in the United States alone.

Usefulness of PA32540 in Protecting the Gastric Layer While Providing Secondary Prevention for Coronary Artery Disease.

Aspirin has been the mainstay for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease to decrease early recurrence and severity of recurrent cardiovascular events. However, an increase in gastrointestinal bleeding due to aspirin is preventing many patients from adhering to this daily regimen. PA32540, a combination pill with aspirin and omeprazole, is a newly emerging intervention that has the potential to reinforce patient compliance with the aspirin regimen due to fewer gastrointestinal adverse effects.